Ethel Carver
Ethel Carver was a woman from Plevna in Fallon County who cooked for the men of the Milwaukee R.R. company, for which her husband worked. Mrs. Carver protested both the Sedition Act, which prohibited anyone from speaking or writing anything opposing the war or was generally critical of the war effort, and also taxes on second class mail. Mrs. Carver believed that the implementation of the Sedition Act into state law was an invasion of the rights of free speech the people of Montana and the American people as a whole.
Ethel was so against these acts that she wrote to Jeannette Rankin, who was serving as Montana’s Representative in the House of Representatives, addressing these issues. “People here do not want those bills to pass, as we can read between the lines and can see that it is a certain sect who want to suppress freedom of press and are afraid of the public getting to know too much.”
Mrs. Carver received a response from Jeannette Rankin. In her response, Rankin confirmed that the bill for sedition would be fought. By that time the bill confirming taxes on second class mail had already been passed. Due to that, the bill could no longer be fought.
Ethel was so against these acts that she wrote to Jeannette Rankin, who was serving as Montana’s Representative in the House of Representatives, addressing these issues. “People here do not want those bills to pass, as we can read between the lines and can see that it is a certain sect who want to suppress freedom of press and are afraid of the public getting to know too much.”
Mrs. Carver received a response from Jeannette Rankin. In her response, Rankin confirmed that the bill for sedition would be fought. By that time the bill confirming taxes on second class mail had already been passed. Due to that, the bill could no longer be fought.
Credits: Jalynn Hanes and Olivia Gunderson
Citations:
Rankin, Jeanette. “Jeanette Rankin’s Response Letter.” 21 July 1917. montanawonderlust.org/rankin/index.php?name=carver. Accessed 17 May 2018.
Carver, Ethel. Original letter of Ethel Carver. 8 July 1917. montanawonderlust.org/rankin/index.php?name=carver. Accessed 17 May 2018.
Citations:
Rankin, Jeanette. “Jeanette Rankin’s Response Letter.” 21 July 1917. montanawonderlust.org/rankin/index.php?name=carver. Accessed 17 May 2018.
Carver, Ethel. Original letter of Ethel Carver. 8 July 1917. montanawonderlust.org/rankin/index.php?name=carver. Accessed 17 May 2018.